Plate-handling machine.



L. G. STEELE.

PLATE HANDLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE l2, 1912` 1,057,183, Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

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lwenm WITN ESSESI p MLK Atty's y L. (LSTBELE. PLATE HANDLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 12, 1912.

1,057,183, v y Patented 1v1fir.25,1913.

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INVENTCR.

` UNITED srarns PATENT onirica.

LAWRENCE C. STEELE,`OF BEAVER, PENNSYLVANIA.

PLATE-HANDLING MACHINE.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, LAWRENCE C. STEELE, residing at Beaver', in thecounty of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the UnitedStates, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvementsin Plate-Handling Machines, of which iniproveinent the following is aspecication.

The invention described herein relates to machines for handling sheetsof metal and like articles; and theobject of the invention is to providea simple and eiicient machine whereby plates may be successively handledas desired, and without the attention of a workman.

In the accompanying drawings Atwo machines are shown illustratingembodiments of the invention, one machine being adapted to remove,successively, plates of sheet metal from a liquid bath, and the othermachine being adapted to arrange such plates in an even and regularmanner upon a pile.

In these drawings, which form part of the specification, Figure 1 is aplan view of the plate removing machine shown in connection with aWater-bosh and a tin-plating machine; Fig. 2 is a sectional view takenon the line II-II, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view .of aplate engagei1 taken on the line III-III, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a transversesectional view taken on the line IV-IV Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a plan view ofthe plate piling machinegand Fig. 6 is a longitudinal view, partly insection, taken on the line VI-Vl, Fig. 5.

In the several figures like numerals are used to designate like parts.

rlhe invention may be more clearly understood by first describing thepreferred form of plate engager, which forins a part of each of themachines shown herein. Such plate-engager is particularly illustrated inFigs. 3 and 4, and, as shown therein, consists of a perforated orport-provided cylinder 1, rotatably mounted upon disks 2 and 3, andconnected to a sprocket wheel 4e, which in turn is rotatably mountedupon a flanged sleeve 5, rigidly secured to a frame 6. Within thecylinder 1 a pipe T and a valve chamber 8 are arranged., The said pipeis rigidly secured to the disks 2 and 3 and to the sleeve 5; and aplurality of liexible pipe connections 25 extend between the chamber Sand the said pipe 7, which is also suitably connected at its outer endto a conduit leading to an exhaust pump (not shown).

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 12, 191.2. Serial No. 703,304.

TheA

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

yalve chamber 8 may be trough shaped having its open side continuouslyclosed by means of the rotatable cylinder 1` and is se.- cured to thedisks and 3 byI means of tongues S) formed integrally with the saidchamber and extending into 4suitably pro- -vide'd recesses 10 in thesaid disks; the arrangement bing such that the trough may h ave alimited radial movement with relation to the cylinder 1, but will beheld from rotation. ln order to prevent the chamber 8 from bearing tooheavily upon the inner surface of the cylinder 1 when air is ex haustedfrom the said chamber, a spring l1 may be placed within the recess 10 ofeach disk 2 and 3, such spring bearing, 'at its opposite ends, againstthe tongue 9 and the bottom of the recess l0, as shown.

In operation, the above described plate engager is placed upon a plate,whichk may be lying on a plane surface and which is to be moved, theplate engager being placed in such a position thatl the open side of thechamber 8 will be adjacent to such plate. By exhausting air from thechamber 8 the plate will, on account of the unequal pressure on itssides, adhere to the ports or perforations in the portion of thecylinder covering the open side ofthe said chamber, so that, by rotatingthe cylinder, the plate will be advanced along its supporting surface.It will be understood that the effective power of such a plate engageris dependent upon the number and cross-sectional size of the cylinderpcrforations, and also upon the degree of vacuity in the chamber 8.

Referring now to the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a pile of plates 12are shown resting on the floor of a water-bosh 13; and, at the side ofthe water-bosh, there is a tinning apparatus 14 adapted to receiveplates from the lwater-bosh` such plates passing through directing rolls15, 16, and along guides 24. The direct-ing rolls 15 and 16 are mountedupon shafts 17 and 18, respec.

tively, the shaft 17 being driven through the belt wheel 19. On theshaft 17 a rigid frame 6 is pivotally mounted, and two plate engageis 20and 20, the construction of which is described above, are secured to thesaid frame, which frame may also be provided with a suitablecounterweight 3S. These plate engage-rs have different elfective powersand are arranged to act on opposite sides of a plate and in opposingdirections. plate engager 20 is, as shown, placed above The ' is drawnthrough move it tothe r1 sloping guide 26,

lower passageways and to -the left of the plate engager 2Q,

.which has fewer perforations through its the shaft 17V By driving theshaft 17 in a right hand direction in order to cause plates to beadvanced into the guides 24, it will be seen that the sprocket wheel 22will be driven in a reverse direction so that the cylindeis of the plateengagers 20 and 20 will be rotated in a left handed direction. The plateengager 20, bearing on the top plate of the pile 12 willy engage suchplate and 'ght along an upwardly which is suitably secured to the frame6. The lower plate engager 20, contacting with the lower surface oftheadvancing plate, but with less en aging force'than, the engager20,'will be e ective to proven/t a second plate, which might be stickingto the under side of the top plate, from being simultaneously advancedwith the top plate.

The connection of the pipes 7 of the plate engagers 20 and 20 to asuitable air pump or` exhauster may be made by a pipe 27, which extendsfrom the plate-engager 20 to the plate-engager 20a and along the frame 6to the shaft 17. A flexible joint is provided in the pipe 27 at theshaft 17, so that the pipe carried by the pivoted frame 6 may movefreely therewith; and a suitable liquid trap 28 and reservoir 29 arearranged to interrupt thecontinuity of the pipe 27a to the end thatwhatever liquid is taken into the chambers 8 of the plate engagers andthe pipes 27 and 27 a may be trapped and retained inthe said reservoirfor use when a second pile of plates have been placed in the water-bosh13.

The guide 24V is provided with upper and 30 and 31, ,and means areprovided for causing the successively fed plates to pass in alternationthrough such passageways. The means shown herein for such `purposeconsist of a series of ingers ixedly secured to a pivoted shaft 32,which extends transverselyof the line of advance ofthe plates. Twofingers 33 and 34 lie inone plane and the third finger 35 isperpendicularly disposed with relation to the said other fingers. Whenthe several lingers are in the position shown in I"ig.'2 a plate,passing between the directing rolls 15 .and 16, will strike the`underside of the finger 33, and, being turned downwardly thereby, willstrike the finger 35 and move it so that the shat't 32 will rotate. vlnthe further travel of the plate, the ends of. the fingers 33 and 35 willbear upon 30. In order to prevent the Ysuch pile.

recting rolls v15 and 16 and to the plate enr" gagers 20 and 2Oa throughbelt wheel '19,

name prevent two plates from advancing snnul-- lower passageway 31. Whensuch plate has passed beyond the finger-provided shaft 32 the finger 33will be inclined downwardly, so that the next'following late will strikeagainst the top of the said nger andk thereby be directed into the upperpassageway turning after a and before the lollowing plate strikes thefingers of the shaft, a suitable spring 3G may be arranged in the bottomof the guide 24, as shown. After passing down the passageway 30 or 31 ofthe guide 24 each plate is further directed through the tinningapparatus by means of suitable directing rolls 37, there preferablybeing two pairs of such rolls i-n each ot the said passageways.

In the operation of the above described platehandlmg machine, the platesare first arranged in an even and regularvpile 12 in the water-bosh 13,and in such a position that the plate-engager 2O will bear lightlyupon-the outer border of the top plate of Power is then applied to thedishar't 17, sprocket wheels 23 and 22, and chain 21; and,simultaneously with the operation of such mechanism, the exhausterbeing-connected to the pipe 27, is put in operation so that a partialvacuum is created in the cylinders 8 of the plate engagers 20 and 20a.The top plate of the'pile 12 will be engaged by the plate engager 2O andmoved to the right where the plate engager 20a, o erating in oppositionto the first plate engager, will be effective to taneously to thetinning bath. The plate thus being advancedalong the guide 26 will beengaged by the directing rolls 15 and 16, and lpassed into the guide 24and through thepassageway 30 or 31 thereof, depending upon the positionof the finger-provided shaft 32. vIn this operation the fluid drawn intothe chambers 8 of the plateengagers 20 and 20a will, as it is drawnthrough the. pipe 27a, be trapped in the chamber 29, and may be returnedto the water bosh 13 when the next pile of plat-es is arranged therein.

In the machine illustrated in Figs. 5 and shaft 32 from A late haspassed beyond it.

loo

6- theinvention is shown in its adaptation 42 and 43. To the oppositeend of the said frame a plate-engager 44, of the same construction asheretofore described, is mounted; and the frame is suitablycounter-balanced by weights 45, as shown. Between the the top ofshaft-41'and the plate-engager 44 -a shaft the plate and cause it topass down the 46 is mounted inthe frame 40, and su'ch 48,148 and 48h.methaan, which has a f series of belt Wheels 49, 49, and 49b secured toit may be driven, from any suitable source of power, through the beltWheel 50; and the plate engager may be driven by a sprocket wheel 5].secured to the shaft 41, sprocket wheel 52 rotatably mounted on theframe 40 to 4mesh with the sprocket wheel 51, and chain'53. By sucharrangement of driving parte it will be seen that the cylinder of thelate engager 44 will be rotated in a right plates engaged'thereby to theleft, and that the conveyer belts Will be effective to carry plates fromright to left. In order to change the posltion of the plates. as theyadvance from the directing rolls 42 and 43 to the plate-engager 44, theconveyer belts 48, 48a and 4 8 are driven atdiferent relative speeds bymaking the pulley Wheels 49, 49a and 49b of different relative sizes,'as shown. The plate-handling machine extends from the directing rolls42, 43 to a 'stacking box consisting of` a bottoni 54 and sides 55.Afplate, passing between the said directing rolls is carried bytheconveyors 48, 48a and 48h to the bottom portion 54 of the stacking box;and, in its-travel upon the conveyer, such plate is partially turned soas to be in the position indicated by the dotted vlines 56 when itreaches the plate engager 44, which further advances the plate untilits' sides are brought tirmly against the side Walls 55. Each-successive plate is similarly piled upon the onepreceding it untilthere is an even and regular pile ofthe required number of plates.

I claim as my invention: l'

1. Ina plate-handling machine, the combination of a frame, an exhaustchamber secured to said frame and having an opening in a side thereof, aperforate cylinder sur-` rounding said chamber and lclosing by its innerWall said opening therein, means for holding said chamber immovable Withrelation to said frame, and means for rotating said cylinder over saidchamber opening.

2. In a plate-handling machine, the combination of a frame, an elongateexhaust chamber immovably secured thereto, there being a longitudinallydisposed slotted opening in a side of said chamber, a cylindersurrounding said chamber and closing by its inner Wall said slottedopening therein, said cylinder wall provided With a pluralityofsperforations equally spaced throughout the entire circumferentialextent thereof, and means for rotating said cylinder over said chamberopening.

anded'direction Aso as to move 3. In a plate-handling machine the combination with a'frame, of a plate engager consisting of a chamberimmovaoly secured to said rameand provided with 1n el'onf. gated openina perforated vrotata'b'y mounted cylin er inclosing the said chamber'andformin a continuous closure for the said opening t erein, and means forrotating the said cylinder on 'its own axis.

4. In a plate-handling machine, the combination ofa frame, a pair ofplate engagers secured to said frame and arranged to act in oppositionto each other and on opposite sides of a plate and means for operatingthe said plate-engagers to advance said chamber and closing by its innerWall said opening therein, means for holding said chamber immovable withrelation to said frame, and means for rotating vsaid cylinder over saidchamber o ening.

'6. In a plate-hand ing machine, the combination of a frame, a chamberedmember the comsecured theretol and having communication with anair-exhauster, a perforate cylinder rotatably mounted upon andsurrounding said chambered member, a valve chamber within said cylinderand having an opening therein adjacent to and covered by the inner Wallof said cylinder, said valve: chamber mounted for radial movement Withrelation to said cylinder Wall, andlexible connect-` ing membersalording communication between said chambered member and said valvechamber.

7. In a machine for removing platesimmersed in a liquid bath, thecombination of a movably mounted plate-engager adapted to bear upon apile of plates and-remove each plate successively therefrom, said plateengager having as a part thereof an exhaust chamber in communicationwith an air-exhauster, aconduit leading from said chamber to such airexhauster, and afiuid trap communicatingwvith said conduit and adaptedto? remove the liquid mingled with the air flowing throughsaid conduit.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.`

` g LAWRENCE C. STEELE.

Witnesses: l

PAUL N. CRrroHLoW,

FRANCIS J. ToMAssoN.

